Posted on 09/17/2001 2:26:45 PM PDT by buffyt
JIHAD ~
It is an Arabic word the root of which is Jahada, which means to strive for a better way of life. The nouns are Juhd, Mujahid, Jihad, and Ijtihad. The other meanings are: endeavor, strain, exertion, effort, diligence, fighting to defend one's life, land, and religion. This word has been in frequent use in the Western press over the past several years, explained directly or subtlely, to mean holy war. As a matter of fact the term "holy war" was coined in Europe during the Crusades, meaning the war against Muslims. It does not have a direct counterpart in Islamic glossary, and Jihad is certainly not its translation.
Jihad is not a war to force the faith on others, as many people think of it. It should never be interpreted as a way of compulsion of the belief on others, since there is an explicit verse in the Qur'an that says:"There is no compulsion in religion" Al-Qur'an: Al-Baqarah (2:256). Jihad is not a defensive war only, but a war against any unjust regime.
If such a regime exists, a war is to be waged against the leaders, but not against the people of that country. People should be freed from the unjust regimes and influences so that they can freely choose to believe in Allah. Not only in peace but also in war Islam prohibits terrorism, kidnapping, and hijacking, when carried against civilians. Whoever commits such violations is considered a murderer in Islam, and is to be punished by the Islamic state.
During wars, Islam prohibits Muslim soldiers from harming civilians, women, children, elderly, and the religious men like priests and rabbis. It also prohibits cutting down trees and destroying civilian constructions.
It is an Arabic word the root of which is Jahada, which means to strive for a better way of life.
The term may be used for/by Muslims as well as non-Muslims. Okay, so where exactly are these terrorists getting their info???????
Ellen
Hmmm..
strife (strf) n.
1. Heated, often violent dissension; bitter conflict. See Synonyms at discord.
2. A struggle, fight, or quarrel.
3. Contention or competition between rivals.
1. As a matter of fact the term "holy war" was coined in Europe during the Crusades, meaning the war against Muslims. It does not have a direct counterpart in Islamic glossary, and Jihad is certainly not its translation.
2. Not only in peace but also in war Islam prohibits terrorism, kidnapping, and hijacking, when carried against civilians. Whoever commits such violations is considered a murderer in Islam, and is to be punished by the Islamic state.
3. During wars, Islam prohibits Muslim soldiers from harming civilians, women, children, elderly, and the religious men like priests and rabbis. It also prohibits cutting down trees and destroying civilian constructions.
STRIFE is the noun form of the word STRIVE you bonehead.
strife\Strife\, n. [OF. estrif. See Strive.] 1. The act of striving
Theoretically you are probably correct, I bow to your superior knowledge of the Koran. History however, shows that Muslims apparently don't read the Koran as closely as you.
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Sorry, I'm a real common lowlife when it comes to language. I even use slang sometimes, to make myself understood .
But whats your point? Did I offend your delicate sensibilities somehow? Or are you just on some pedantic jihad?
As a matter of fact the term "holy war" was coined in Europe during the Crusades
Wrong again. The Crusades were not called holy wars they were called Crusades, from the Old French croisee, the past participle meaning "to have been crossed" (i.e. to have been crucified). This is, again, transparent, anti-Western propaganda.
there is an explicit verse in the Qur'an that says:"There is no compulsion in religion" Al-Qur'an: Al-Baqarah (2:256). There is also an explicit verse in the Koran which states: "Kill the idolaters wheresoever you shall find them, and take them prisoners, and besiege them, and lay wait for them in every convenient place" (9:5). The Koran also says that Allah commands Muslims thus: "I will instil terror into the hearts of the unbelievers: smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off them." (8:12).
In the Koran there are no civilians there are believers and unbelievers.
There is only one word for war in Arabic: jihad. There are words for battle, attack, fight, etc. but only one word which corresponds to war: jihad. And the Koran says that it is an obligation for all Muslims. Hopefully buffyt will post something other than lies in the future.
Hope all is well with you and yours.
Does it lead to where _jim hides the cheese?
There you go again ... we're working with the Arabic definition of this word not the US/English definition ...
... but you knew that ...
I think that Bin Laden and his kind are perverting their own religion.That's 'the read' I'm getting too. It's happened with other religions before - it's happened in our lifetimes as a matter of fact!
It is an Arabic word the root of which is Jahada, which means to strive for a better way of life.
The term may be used for/by Muslims as well as non-Muslims. Okay, so where exactly are these terrorists getting their info???????
From the Koran and Arab theologians and the sense is much stronger than this white-washed portrayal. Here's a good site which only wishes that Islam would begin to secularize their notions (i.e., separation of mosque and state):
JIHAD - PAST AND PRESENT
The word Jihad comes from the Arabic word jahada, which as Lane in his celebrated Arabic –English Lexicon points out, means "He strove, laboured, or toiled; exerted himself or his power or efforts or endeavours or ability" Jihad, continues Lane, "properly signifies using or exerting, one's utmost power, efforts, endeavours, or ability, in contending with an object of disapprobation, and this of three kinds, namely, a visible enemy, the devil, and one’s self; all of which are included in the Koran sura xxii.78. …Jihad came to be used by the Muslims to signify generally he fought, warred, or waged war, against unbelievers and the like ."[1] [Emphasis added]SECULAR ISLAMAs Tyan in his article in the EI² (Djihad, I.538 ff.) makes clear, "in law, according to general doctrine and in historical tradition, the jihad consists of military action with the object of the expansion of Islam and, if need be, of its defence"[emphasis added]. Tyan expressly rules out the thesis of a wholly apologetic character, according to which Islam relies on peaceful expansion, and that jihad is only authorized in cases of self-defence. This thesis ignores entirely the doctrines developed by Muslim theologians, the historical tradition, as well as texts of the Koran and sunna. Another scholar, Rudolph Peters [2], also emphasizes that Classical Muslim Koran interpretation regarded the Sword Verses of the Koran (see below), with uncoditional command to fight the unbelievers,as having abrogated all previous verses concerning relations with non-Muslims.
Koran VIII.60
Here are some hadith from Bukhari, Muslim and other traditionists:
Bukhari [3] LI.1: "Verily Allah has purchased of the believers their lives and their properties; for theirs (in return) is Paradise.They fight in His cause, so they kill (others) and are killed…"[using forms of the verb " qatala" = to kill]
Bukhari:[4] LI.2 "Narrated Abu Huraira: I heard Allah’s Messenger saying, "The example of a Mujahid in Allah’s cause – and Allah knows better who really strives in His cause – is like a person who fasts and prays continuously.Allah guarantees that He will admit the Mujahid in His Cause into Paradise if he is killed, otherwise He will return him to his home safely with rewards and war booty."
Bukhari: [5] LI. 6 Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Prophet said, ‘Nobody who dies and finds good from Allah …would wish to come back to this world even if he were given the whole world and whatever is in it, except the martyr who, on seeing the superiority of martyrdom,would like to come back to the world and get killed again."
Bukhari: [6] LI.22.Narrated Al-Mughira bin Shu’ba:: Our Prophet told us about the message of our Lord that "… whoever amongst us is killed will go to Paradise"
‘Umar asked the Prophet, ‘Is it not true that our men who are killed will go to Paradise and theirs will go to the fire?’ The Prophet said ‘Yes ’.
Narrated ‘Abdullah bin Abi Aufa, Allah’s Messenger said, "Know that Paradise is under the shades of swords." [meaning « under the protection of swords."]
Bukhari: [7] Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Messenger said, "Allah welcomes two men with a smile; one whom kills the other and both of them enter Paradise. One fights in Allah’s cause and gets killed. Later on Allah forgives the killer who also gets martyred (in Allah’s cause)."
Bukhari [8]: Narrated as-Sa’b bin Jaththama: The Prophet passed by me at a place called al-Abwa or Waddan, and was asked whether it was permissible to attack the pagan warriors at night with the probability of exposing their women and children to danger. The Prophet replied, "They are from them." [i.e. the women and children are also pagans, hence it is permissible to kill them. However there are other hadith which do forbid the killing of women and children.]
Even a cursory glance at the chapter on Jihad (Vol.IV, pp. 34-199) in Bukhari is enough to show that real battles, deaths, wounds, horses, swords, arrows, prisoners of war, looting, booty, burning and destruction are being referred to. Hadith after hadith recount in horrible details as to how the Jihad against infidels was to be carried out; no they do not talk of metaphorical battles, or allegorical, spiritual struggles, but bloody war.
Sunan Abu Dawud,[9] Kitab al –Jihad:
(2632) Ayas b.Salamah reported on the authority of his father: The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) appointed Abu Bakr our commander and we fought with some people who were polytheists, and we attacked them at night, killing them. Our war-cry that night was ‘ put to death; put to death’. Salamah said: "I killed that night with my hand polytheists belonging to seven houses."
(2664) Samurah b. Jundub reported the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) as saying: « Kill the old men who are polytheists, but spare their children."[10]
Sahih Muslim [11] (4292); The Messenger of Allah made a raid upon Banu Mustaliq while they were unaware and their cattle were having a drink at the water.He killed those who fought and imprisoned the others.
Sahih Muslim: (4294) If they (the enemy) refuse to accept Islam, demand from the Jizya; If they agree to pay, accept it from them and hold off your hands. If they refuse to pay the tax, seek Allah’s help and fight them.
Averroes [12]: "Scholars agree that jihad is collective not a personal obligation.... According to the majority of scholars, the compulsory nature of the jihad is founded on sura 2:216 ‘Prescribed for you is fighting, though it be hateful to you.’ … Scholars agree that al polytheists should be fought. This is founded on sura 8:39 ‘Fight them until there is no persecution and the religion is God’s entirely."
[1] E.W.Lane, Arabic –English Lexicon, Beirut (Lebanon, Reprint 1968) Vol. 2 p.473
[2] R.Peters, Jihad in Classical and Modern Islam.A Reader. Princeton, 1996, p.2
[3] Bukhari, Sahih, Vol.IV trans. Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan, Kitab Bhavan, New Delhi,1984; pp. 34.
[4] Ibid., p.38
[5] Ibid., p.42
[6] Ibid., p.55
[7] Bukhari, op.cit., p.60
[8] ibid., pp.158-159.
[9] Abu Dawud, Sunan, trans. A.Hasan, Kitab Bhavan, New Delhi, 1997, p. 729
[10] Ibid. p.739
[11] Muslim, Sahih, trans.A.H.Siddiqi, Kitab Bhavan, New Delhi,1997 pp. 942- 943
[12] Averroes al-Bidaya, trans. in R.Peters, Jihad in Classical and Modern Islam, Princeton 1996, pp.29-31
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